The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
During some stages of vehicle manufacture, the movable vehicle panels (e.g., a hood, trunk, or door) are attached to the vehicle body. While the final vehicle typically includes latches attached to the body that secure these movable panels relative to the body, many manufacturing processes can occur after the movable panel is mounted to the body, but before the final latches are installed. Furthermore, some of these manufacturing processes impart forces on the movable panels that can exceed the typical forces expected during consumer use, or can involve chemicals or processes not suitable for the final latches. Thus, the typical production latches for the movable panels can be unsuitable for securing the movable panels during these manufacturing processes. Additionally, some of the processes require the movable panel to be in a position relative to the body that is not the typical resting position of the movable panel of the finished vehicle. For example, during a corrosion inhibitor coating process or a painting coating process, a hood might be held partially open to ensure that all surfaces are appropriately coated. Typically, the temporary securing of the movable panel relative to the body for such processing involves labor intensive fixtures that, in some situations, can damage the movable panel by exerting too much force on the panel or being too rigid.
The teachings of the present disclosure provide for a hold down device and method that solves these problems by securing the movable panel to the vehicle body while providing a force compensating clamping force and being easy to attach and detach from the movable panel.